Thousands attend funeral of policeman killed by militants

Emotions ran high when the body of Gulam Rasool Lone, a policeman who was killed by militants in Pulwama on Tuesday morning, reached his home in Gagal village in Lolab Kupwara. People from all walks of life reached his home and waited for the body to arrive. At about 1pm, the body arrived in an ambulance. A large number of policemen in the district also reached the home of their slain colleague.

Head Constable Gulam Rasool Lone, son of Mohammad Afzal Lone, was killed along with another policeman who was a native of Rafiabad Baramulla when a group of militants shot them dead at the Pulwama district court complex. The attack took place in the pre-dawn hours.

Locals said that soon after the news of the killing reached his native village, people began travelling to his home to pay condolences to the bereaved family and to take part in funeral prayers.

Villagers of Gagal said that the deceased had left behind three kids and his wife.
Among the six sons of Mohammad Afzal Lone, two joined the Jammu and Kashmir Police. One of them today lost his life.

The funeral was held at about 3pm. Ghulam was buried in his ancestral graveyard at Gagal village. Gagal is a small village some 20 kilometres from main town Kupwara in Lolab valley.

Earlier in the day, the Kashmir Range Inspector-General of Police and other officers laid wreaths on the bodies of the two slain policemen at a ceremony held at district police lines Srinagar.